Regulations

ACADEMIC REGULATIONS

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY
The College is responsible for publishing all rules and regulations affecting your educational opportunities. As mature students responsible for your own conduct, you are responsible for familiarizing yourself with these rules and regulations. Written rules and regulations in effect at the time are binding.
The material in this catalog is published to provide information on rules and regulations in effect at the time of publication; however, we reserve the right to make changes to course offerings, curricula, academic policies, and other rules and regulations effective at a time determined by the College. These changes govern currently and formerly enrolled students.
Copies of all official Board of Trustees rules are available for inspection in Student Services. Read all official notices posted on campus bulletin boards and published bi-weekly in PCC's official publication for students, the "Orange & Green." Ignorance of duly published rules and regulations is not considered a valid excuse for failing to comply.
EMPHASIS ON COMPETENCY
The 1979 Florida Legislature enacted the Postsecondary Education Act (CS/HB 1689). The major emphasis of this legislation is improving the quality of higher education in Florida. Major goals of the competency movement include:

• assuring students entering their freshman year are placed correctly in courses allowing them to acquire the essential college-level communications and computation skills
• assuring students entering their junior year acquired those communications and computation skills essential to succeeding in the upper division.
  The competency movement caused many changes in public higher education in Florida. The essential communications and computation skills are now identified. As a result, there is greater emphasis statewide on placement testing and advising, standards of academic progress for currently enrolled students, and exit testing proving mastery of essential skills.
  At PCC, the competency movement means a greater emphasis on students' selection of their educational programs, placement testing, and admissions and academic advising. It also means students are required to make definite progress toward their educational goals. Finally, the competency movement means the quality of education is measured to determine the mastery of essential skills.
  TESTING
• Placement Assessment
  Polk Community College provides a comprehensive placement assessment program in accordance with Florida law. We use the Florida College Entry Level Placement Test (FCELPT or CPT) provided by the College Board to test for proficiency in reading, writing, and mathematics. Although frequently referred to as "testing," the CPT is not a pass-fail examination, but is an assessment tool determining the proper placement in college credit courses. The CPT does not determine admission eligibility.
  All students applying to enter a credit degree or certificate program are required to take the CPT prior to course registration. Exceptions may include students who provide scores on other state-approved instruments, and those transferring from other colleges with appropriate English and math credit. Students not pursuing a degree or certificate (non-program students) also may be exempt from placement testing, but, unless they provide evidence of previous college credit in English and math, are limited to enrollment in courses not requiring communications or computation skills
  College preparatory (college prep) courses in English, reading, and math are required for students who score below state-mandated cut offs. Students are required to begin enrollment in all required college prep courses during their first twelve credit hours at PCC; however, students enrolled in college prep also may take courses concurrently in other curriculum areas for which they qualify. College prep course do not apply toward graduation requirements.
• College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST)
  All students expecting to graduate with an A.A. degree, or who expect to transfer as a junior to any state university in Florida, are required to take the College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST). Students must score at or above the state minimums, or meet the CLAST alternative.
  Students seeking A.S. degrees are not required to take CLAST unless they expect to transfer to a Florida university as a junior.
  To be eligible to take the CLAST, you must be registered at Polk Community College as a degree-seeking student and have earned at least 18 semester credit hours. CLAST registration and information forms are available in Student Services on both campuses. Testing is administered three times yearly:
  Term I (October) - Lakeland campus
  Term II (February) - Winter Haven campus
  Terms III and IV (June) - Alternating campuses
  The chart in Appendix A contains a complete list of CLAST competencies and the corresponding PCC courses in which those competencies are taught.
• CLAST Alternatives
  CLAST Alternatives are earned by meeting or exceeding the minimum scores on the SAT-I or the E-ACT exam as defined below, or by passing six hours of college course work in the subject, with a combined minimum grade point average of 2.50.

The student may earn alternatives to the CLAST English and Essay subtests by meeting one of the following:

• Presenting an official SAT-I verbal score of five hundred (500) or above;
• Presenting an official E-ACT English score of twenty-one (21) or above; or
• Earning a minimum grade point average of 2.50 in ENC1101, College Composition and ENC1102, College Composition II.
  The student may earn alternatives to the CLAST Reading subtest by meeting one of the following:
• Presenting an official SAT-I verbal score of five hundred (500) or above;
• Presenting an official E-ACT Reading score of twenty-two (22) or above; or
• Earning a minimum grade point average of 2.50 in ENC1101, College Composition and ENC1102, College Composition II.

The student may earn alternatives to the CLAST Computation subtest by meeting one of the following:

• Presenting an official SAT-I quantitative score of five hundred (500) or above;
• Presenting an official E-ACT Mathematics score of twenty-one (21) or above; or
• Earning a minimum grade point average of 2.50 in two courses in college level mathematics from the following:
• MAC1102, Algebra for College Students; MAC1104, College Algebra; MAC1105, College Algebra; MAC1114, Trigonometry; MAC1140, Precalculus Algebra; MAC2233, Applied Calculus I; MAC2234, Applied Calculus II, MAC2311, Calculus I; MAC2312, Calculus II; MAC2313, Calculus III; or a higher MAC course; MGF1113, General College Math I; MGF1114, General College Math II; MGF1118, Survey of Mathematics; MGF1202, Topics in Finite Math; or a higher MGF course; STA2014, Statistics; STA2023, Introduction to Probability and Statistics; or a higher STA course.

NOTES: (1) Attempting the CLAST is not required to earn the alternatives. (2) The student may request CLAST alternatives be posted to their record from an academic advisor or from the Coordinator of Testing. (3) The CLAST alternatives apply to all Associate of Arts degrees except Education. Education majors are required to pass all subtests of the CLAST in order to receive a teaching certificate in the state of Florida. (4) Credits earned through accelerated mechanisms, such as College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Advanced Placement (AP), or International Baccalaureate (IB), are calculated as a grade of "B" for this purpose.
GORDON RULE
The "Gordon Rule," State Rule 6A-10.30, requires A.A. program students to complete 24,000 words of written composition and complete six semester hours of mathematics at the level of college algebra or higher. The mathematics portion of the requirement is satisfied by taking the appropriate mathematics courses. Because PCC uses a "Writing Across the Curriculum" approach to meeting the writing requirement, a wide variety of general education courses, each with its own specific word count requirement, can be used to meet the 24,000 word mandate. Confer with an Advisor and refer to the course syllabus and/or course description for questions regarding word counts for specific courses. A minimum grade of "C" is required in all courses fulfilling the communications and mathematics areas of the general education requirements.
CREDITS
Credit hours are the units by which PCC measures its course work. The number of credit hours assigned to a course usually corresponds with the number of hours per week a class meets.
PCC uses a semester plan. A semester credit hour is based on classes meeting one hour per week during the length of a 15 week term; therefore, a three semester hour class usually meets three hours each week during a 15 week term. Summer terms, or other periods shorter than 15 weeks, require additional hours per week to meet the minimum state-mandated hours necessary for generating semester hour credit.
Transfer credits earned from institutions using quarter plans are converted to semester hours:

When calculating for graduation, fractions of hours are rounded off to the last whole number.
MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM COURSE LOAD
During Terms I and II (Fall and Spring) the minimum course load per semester for full-time students is 12 semester hours, and six semester hours for each of the summer terms. Anything less than these minimums is considered part-time. The average academic load during Terms I or II is 15 semester hours
Maximum course load during Terms I and II is 20 semester hours per term, and nine semester hours for each of the summer terms. Students maintaining a cumulative GPA 3.0 or higher, and who completed at least 15 semester credits may exceed the 20 / nine credit maximums with the approval of an Advisor. Those wishing to appeal this regulation are required to do so prior to central registration day.
Students planning on working while attending school are encouraged to adjust their schedules accordingly.
GRADES
Grades are recorded on your permanent record in the Student Records Office and are issued in the form of a transcript upon your request and payment of an appropriate fee. Grade reports are mailed to you following final exams. Grades and grade point values are listed:

A- Superior		4 Grade Points
B- Above Average		3 Grade Points
C- Satisfactory		2 Grade Points
D- Minimum		1 Grade Point
F- Fail		0 Grade Points
I- Incomplete		0 Grade Points
P- Pass
N- Fail
S- Satisfactory
U- Unsatisfactory
W- Withdrawal

Final grades are based on any or all of the following: class assignments, special reports, research papers, class participation, laboratory, field work, and final examination. Specific grading polices and course requirements are provided by the instructor at the beginning of each course.
INCOMPLETE GRADES
At the end of the term, students not meeting prescribed objectives are assessed individually by the course instructor. If, in the opinion of the instructor, the student cannot complete the prescribed work during the first 15 school days of the following term, the student is given an "F" and must, if eligible, re-enroll.
If, in the opinion of the instructor, the student can complete the prescribed work during the first 15 school days of the following term, the student is given an "I." When the prescribed objectives are met, the instructor completes a grade-change form. If the student fails to meet the objectives within the first 15 school days of the following term, the "I" converts to an "F." In extenuating circumstances, instructors grant an extension of time for the removal of the "I" grade and notify Student Records. An "I" grade is computed as a "F" in the student's grade point average until changed.
FORGIVENESS POLICY
PCC's state-mandated grade forgiveness policy allows you to repeat only those courses in which you earn a grade of "D," "F," "N," or "W." You are allowed only three attempts in any one course, one initial enrollment and two repeats. Although all course attempts appear on your transcript, only the grade earned in the most recent attempt is calculated in your GPA. You are not allowed to withdraw from your third course attempt.
Prior to repeating a course, consult the Financial Aid Office to determine what impact, if any, repeating a course has on your financial aid status.
NOTE: Other institutions you eventually may transfer to do not necessarily have the same grade forgiveness policy as PCC and may recalculate your GPA or reassess your eligibility for financial aid.
STANDARDS OF ACADEMIC PROGRESS
The regulations regarding academic progress apply to all credit students regardless of the beginning date of attendance at Polk Community College. In determining academic progress, college credit, vocational credit, and preparatory credit are combined. Attempted courses are defined as all courses for which a student registered and remains enrolled beyond the last day of the Drop / Add period.

The term, "Academic Standards of Progress," refers to the policies and procedures Polk Community College uses to define a student's progress as he/she completes academic course work at the college. A minimum overall 2.0 grade point average (GPA) is required for graduation from PCC. Academic Standards of Progress are designed to help the student monitor progress and standing in regard to the GPA requirement.

The seven (7) levels of academic standing are:

• Good Academic Standing
• Academic Warning
• Academic Probation
• Academic Suspension
• Probation After Suspension
• Academic Dismissal
• Probation After Dismissal

The college helps students monitor their standing and progress. For any term in which a student earns a GPA of less than 2.0, a statement indicating the student's standing is printed on the student's individual grade report for that term.

Polk Community College welcomes transfer applicants with demonstrated success at other institutions. Students who transfer from other institutions are bound by Polk Community College's Academic Standards of Progress, and may enter the institution under one of five (5) levels of status:

• Good Academic Standing
• Academic Warning
• Academic Probation
• Probation After Suspension
• Probation After Dismissal

Students who are on Academic Suspension at the institution from which they are transferring, may not enroll at Polk Community College in the term immediately following the term in which the suspension was incurred. A student, may however, enroll under the appropriate status in the next succeeding term or subsequent terms thereafter.

Academic Terms Defined
Overall Hours Attempted - Total credit hours attempted since entering college, including hours credited from previously attended institutions.
Overall GPA - Grade point average for all work attempted since entering college, including work from all previously attended institutions.
Term Hours Attempted - Total number of credit hours for which a student has enrolled in a given semester.
Term Hours Earned - Total number of hours in a given semester for which a student earned a passing grade.
Term GPA - Grade point average for all work attempted for a given semester.
GPA Calculation - To calculate Overall GPA or Term GPA, grades and grade point values must be used as follows:

A-  Superior			4 Grade Points
B- Above Average			3 Grade Points
C- Satisfactory			2 Grade Points
D- Minimal			1 Grade Point
F- Fail			0 Grade Point

To calculate Term GPA, multiply Course Credit Hour by Grade Point Value to determine Quality Points earned per course; divide Term Quality Points earned by Term Hours Earned.

Example:
Course	Credit Hour	Grade	Grade Point Value	Quality Points
ENC1101	3	B	3	9
MAC1102	3	A	4	12
Total:	6			21
GPA =	21/6 = 3.5
To calculate Overall GPA, divide the Overall Quality Points earned by the Overall Hours earned.

Good Academic Standing
A student is in Good Academic Standing when for his/her last term completed all of the following conditions are met:

• At least 50% of the courses in which the student was registered in the last term were completed with grades of "D" or better.
• The GPA for the last term was 2.00 or higher.
• The Overall GPA is 2.00 or higher.

Academic Warning
A student will be placed on Academic Warning under any of the following conditions:

• The student's Overall Hours Attempted is 12 hours or more, and the student's Overall GPA is less than 2.00.
• The student's Term Hours Earned is less than 50% of the Term Hours Attempted for the term attended.
• A student will remain on warning until he/she returns to Good Academic Standing or falls to Academic Probation.

Academic Probation
A student will be placed on Academic Probation under any of the following conditions:

• The student's Overall Hours Attempted is 30 hours or more, and the student's Overall GPA is less than 2.00.
• The student is on Academic Warning and fails to earn a Term GPA of 2.00 or greater for the next term attended.
• The student is on Academic Warning, and the student's Term Hours Earned is less than 50% of the Term Hours Attempted for the next term attended.
  A student may register for classes on Academic Probation only after academic advising and with specific course approval.

Academic Suspension
A student will be placed on Academic Suspension under any of the following conditions:

• The student's Overall Hours Attempted is 45 hours or more, and the student's Overall GPA is less than 2.00.
• The student is on Academic Probation, and fails to earn a Term GPA of 2.00 or greater for the next term attended.
• The student is on Academic Probation, and the student's Term Hours Earned is less than 50% of the Term Hours Attempted for the next term attended.
  A suspended student may not enroll at the College for one term following suspension.

Probation After Suspension
A student will be placed on Probation after Suspension under the following condition:

• The student is on Academic Suspension and has fulfilled the terms of the suspension.
  A student will be permitted to register for classes on Probation After Suspension only after academic advising and with specific course approval. The student must complete 50% of all courses attempted, and maintain a 2.00 Term GPA or be placed on Academic Dismissal for one academic year from the end of the term for which he/she was dismissed.

Academic Dismissal
A student will be placed on Academic Dismissal under any of the following conditions:

• The student is on Probation After Suspension or Probation After Dismissal and fails to earn a Term GPA of 2.00 or greater for the next term attended.
• The student is on Probation After Suspension or Probation After Dismissal, and the student's Term Hours earned are less than 50% of the Term Hours attempted for the next term attended.
  Academic Dismissal is critical. A student may petition for readmission. A petition will be considered only after a minimum of one academic year. To be considered, the petition must be submitted to Student Services at least thirty (30) working days before the beginning of the term for which the student is seeking readmission. The student will be notified of the decision in writing.

Probation After Dismissal
A student will be placed on Probation After Dismissal under the following condition:

• The student is on Academic Dismissal, has fulfilled the terms of dismissal, and received approval of his/her petition for readmission.

A student on Probation After Dismissal will be permitted to register for classes only after academic advising and with specific course approval. The student must complete 50% of all courses attempted and maintain a 2.00 Term GPA. A student who fails to meet these requirements will again be placed on Academic Dismissal and will be considered for readmission only after a minimum of one year from the end of the term for which he/she was dismissed.

ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CORRECTIONS CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS
Students enrolled in law enforcement and corrections certificate programs are required to attend the full number of hours of each course. Unexcused absences and absences when the work is not made up result in students being dropped from the course.
Absences approved by the Training Center Manager for illnesses, subpoenas, and emergencies are permitted or excused; however, students must make up all missed time and work. Submit requests for authorized absences to the course coordinator or Center Manager. Trainees returning from any absences are required to submit a written notice to the appropriate training center staff detailing the total time absent from class, as well as the time returned to class.
HONORS
Students graduating with a PCC GPA of 3.5 or higher, plus an overall GPA of 3.5 "Graduate with Academic Honors." Students graduating with a PCC GPA of 4.0, plus an overall GPA of 4.0 "Graduate with Highest Academic Honors." These distinctions are part of your permanent record and appear on your diploma and your official transcript.
WITHDRAWAL POLICY
You may officially withdraw from a course(s) during any given term provided you follow appropriate policy and procedure.
Following the conclusion of the Drop / Add period, you may officially withdraw without penalty from any credit course provided you submit the appropriate forms to Student Services no later than the deadline published in the term schedule booklet. The published deadline reflects the midpoint in the course based upon the course's scheduled duration.
Under the Forgiveness Policy, you are allowed only three attempts in any one college credit course, one initial enrollment and two repeats. In certain circumstances, you may petition to repeat a credit course beyond the three attempts. In college prep courses, only three attempts are allowed. You should be aware that repeating courses may result in a higher fee. In college prep courses you may petition for reduction of this fee. See an academic advisor for details. Although all course attempts appear on your transcript, only the grade earned in the most recent attempt is calculated in your GPA. You are not allowed to withdraw from your third course attempt. If you stop attending class, a grade other than a "W" is assigned and posted.
Prior to repeating a course, consult the Financial Aid Office to determine what impact, if any, repeating a course has on your financial aid status.
NOTE: Other institutions you eventually may transfer to do not necessarily have the same grade forgiveness policy as PCC and may recalculate your GPA or reassess your eligibility for financial aid. In addition, limited access programs at the college (Nursing, for example) have program specific academic standards which address course withdrawals for students enrolled in these programs. Please see the appropriate Division or Department Director for these standards.
CLASS ATTENDANCE AND ABSENCES
Class attendance is a critical part of the teaching-learning process. Students are expected to arrange their schedules in a manner enabling regular and prompt class attendance.
Specific written and binding policies are distributed to students by each instructor during the first week of classes.
CHEATING AND PLAGIARISM
Cheating or plagiarism is not tolerated and results in appropriate disciplinary action authorized by Board of Trustees Rule 4.01. The complete rule covering cheating or plagiarism is available in Student Services.
Cheating is defined as the giving or taking of any information or material with the intent of wrongfully aiding oneself or another in academic work considered in the determination of a course grade.
Plagiarism includes failure to use quotation marks or other conventional markings around material quoted from any printed source. Plagiarism also includes paraphrasing a specific passage from a specific source without accurately indicating that source. Plagiarism further includes letting another person compose or rewrite a student assignment.
The following terms are identified as examples of cheating and plagiarism by the faculty and students at Polk Community College:

• asking for information from another student during a test situation
• copying answers from another's paper during a test situation
• knowingly letting someone copy from your paper during a test situation
• using sources other than those permitted by the instructor in a test situation
• copying material exactly or essentially from outside sources omitting appropriate documentation
• copying or falsifying a report of a laboratory, clinical project, or assignment without doing the required work
• changing answers on a returned, graded test in an effort to get the grade revised.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Students completing college transfer programs receive the Associate in Arts Degree, and are certified as completing general education requirements. NOTE: Some technical courses cannot be used as electives in the A.A. degree programs, nor do College Prep courses apply toward graduation. See an Advisor for information regarding degree requirements and applicable courses. A.A. degree candidates also are required to achieve passing scores on all sections of the CLAST, or meet the CLAST alternatives.
Students completing occupational/technical programs receive the Associate in Science Degree. Students in A.S. Health-Related programs must earn a grade of "C" or higher in all discipline-specific courses. College prep courses do not apply toward A.S. degree requirements.
All students planning to graduate must meet with an Advisor and apply for graduation in Student Services no later than the deadline published in the term schedule booklet.
Polk Community College graduation requirements:

• completion of all admissions requirements including the submission of all necessary transcripts and other documents
• completion of the required semester credit hours (minimum 60) in a prescribed program of study
• PCC and overall GPAs of 2.0 or higher
• completion of a minimum of 15 academic credit hours "in residence" during the sophomore year
• discharge all financial obligations.

All graduates are invited to participate in the formal graduation ceremony held at the end of Terms I and II (Fall and Spring). Summer graduates are invited to participate in the fall ceremony.

PETITIONS
Students who feel College regulations are not interpreted or applied fairly may petition the Admissions and Petitions Committee. The Committee reviews each individual written request and makes a recommendation to the President for final disposition. Information about the petitioning process is available from Academic Advisors.
CONDUCT, DISCIPLINE AND DUE PROCESS
Students at Polk Community College are expected to act in a responsible manner supporting and enhancing the educational process. PCC has a tradition of excellent conduct by its students, and the degree of responsibility they exhibit is a reflection of the educational atmosphere of the college. Although the vast majority of students are never affected, when acts of unacceptable conduct occur they are dealt with in a manner supporting our educational purpose.
The Board of Trustees defines unacceptable conduct, including sexual misconduct, sets forth the penalties and disciplinary procedures which apply when violations occur, and describes the due process requirements used. A brochure summarizing the Board Rule is available in Student Services.
The Dean of Institutional Advancement is responsible for the administration of Discipline and Due Process. Any person may refer a student, a student group, or student organization suspected of unacceptable conduct to the Dean of Institutional Advancement for investigation and action. Cases of cheating are referred to the appropriate instructor. The focus of disciplinary proceedings is the guilt or innocence of those accused of unacceptable conduct.

• Sexual Misconduct
  PCC is particularly sensitive to sexual misconduct as an important part of the "Student Conduct, Discipline, and Due Process Rule." Sexual misconduct includes, but is not limited to the following:
• Sexual Harassment. Unwelcome sexual advances, request for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature from any person when such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance, study habits and/or educational experiences, or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or study environment
• Sexual Assault. Any act, or attempted act, as defined in Florida Law (Section 794.011, Florida Statutes)
• Public Indecency. Exposing one's body in such a manner that another party reasonably could be offended, or sexual conduct where another party reasonably could be offended.
  Victims of sexual misconduct are encouraged and assisted in referring or filing charges. An advocate is provided in all cases to assist victims. The College notifies appropriate law enforcement officials in any assault case alleged to have occurred on college owned or controlled property, immediately adjacent property, or during a college-sponsored activity involving students, employees, or volunteers of the college. PCC proceeds with the discipline process in addition to notifying law enforcement officials.

DRUG-FREE POLICY
Because the likelihood of success is so dramatically reduced for students on drugs, we are determined to have drug-free campuses. Illegal use of drugs or alcohol is not tolerated on either PCC campus or at any PCC-sponsored event off campus. (DBOT Rules 4.01 and 2.25)
Certain limited access programs have additional procedures regarding the use of drugs and alcohol. Various opportunities exist at PCC to educate students about the realities of drug and alcohol abuse. A major unit in the Wellness Concepts course (HLP1081) deals with substance abuse. In addition, special seminars, workshops, and discussion opportunities are scheduled.
PCC requires all applicants for admission to commit to obeying the law and refrain from illegal drug and alcohol activity on our campuses and at all college events.
Students who illegally use drugs or alcohol on either PCC campus or at a PCC-sponsored event off campus are suspended. Those students can apply for readmission consideration only after becoming drug-free and after completing at least one semester of suspension.
Students selling or manufacturing illegal drugs on either PCC campus or at a PCC-sponsored event off campus are expelled. Students can apply for readmission consideration only after completing at least one full year of expulsion.
The College is responsible for referring for prosecution anyone engaging in illegal drug or controlled substance/alcohol activity on our campuses or at our events.
Students convicted of any drug offense must report it to Student Services within five days. Students may contact the same office for an explanation of appeal rights for each step of the disciplinary process.
Readmission is granted to suspended or expelled students only when they provide proof they are drug-free after drug rehabilitation or some other method. The Admissions and Petitions Committee, consisting of students and staff, reviews the proof and recommends to the President who authorizes readmission when appropriate.
CHILDREN ON CAMPUS
PCC has no facilities or services to accommodate young children while adults are attending class or conducting business on campus. In fairness to others, and in recognition of limited facilities and services, we request your cooperation in not bringing young children to class or other service areas.